Day 12: Biondi-Santi Winery

Today, the group is off to the Biondi-Santi winery in Montalcino. This region of Tuscany produces some of the best and some of the rarest wines from Italy. The Brunello grape was first isolated as a varietal in the 1800's by Clemente Santi, a simple farmer who accidentally founded one of the most prestigious wineries in the Montalcino area of Tuscany.

Entrance to Villa Greppo, home to the Biondi-Santi family who still produce wine here.

Entrance gate at the end of the long tree-lined alley leading to Villa Greppo.

Here we go to taste some wine!

The villa was constructed in the 1700's, and the Biondi-Santi family still lives here and runs the winery.

Nothing to do with wine-making, but I saw this old Citroen in the garage and thought it was worth a photo.

 First room on the tour of the winery.

An antique wine press. Note the trough around the base to collect the grape juice. There was a spout on the other side to collect it. It works with a screw-type drive that was turned by hand. Sorry, Lucy, no stomping of grapes with bare feet.

Yana, our guide is "wining" the glasses to ready them for our tasting.

The four wines produced by Biondi-Santi. This small winery only produces 12,000 bottles per year, but the nature of the Brunello grape allows for periods of long aging in oak barrels, and yields some of the best wine of Europe. The Riserva on the far right was the first wine in Italy to receive the "DOCG" designation--best of the best. On the price list at Biondi-Santi we saw vintage 1955 of this wine with a price of $5,700 per bottle. Shipping extra.

The mascot of the winery apparently loves to go in the car. When we got ready leave, he hopped right in and had to be gently ushered out so I could drive.

Nice winery, but where can we get some Chianti?

Maybe here at La Loconda della Ribollita, a small restaurant in the tiny Tuscan town of Querce al Pino. La Locanda (the inn) is also a B&B. "Ribollita" means "twice-boiled" and is the name of a local soup made from left-overs.

Al Fresco dining at La Locanda.

Our hosts Clemente and Harmony, owners of La Locanda. Harmony is from South Carolina, and came to Italy on vacation after college. They met in Siena at the ceremonial horse race around the Piazza. Cute couple and great hosts.

After antipasti, we had "Fagottini." No comments please. This was a delicious ravioli stuffed with pears and covered with a delicious gorgonzola-and-walnut cream sauce.

Herbed chicken grilled under a brick.

Tim had wild boar, a typical Tuscan dish.

And thyme roasted potatoes. Love Tuscan comfort food!

Although this week was Mike's birthday celebration, Tim's birthday is less than a week away. Clemente brings tiramasu for Timmy.

Happy early Birthday, Tim. We will celebrate officially in Venice next week!